Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Niacinamide
DimethiconeAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate benefits for your redness and irritation, as glycerin and niacinamide provide supportive hydration and barrier repair for your normal, sensitive skin.
- The formula is highly suitable for normal skin due to the humectant action of glycerin and barrier repair from niacinamide, though it offers general skincare benefits rather than targeted treatment for your specific concerns.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this moisturizer for its lightweight, non-greasy formula that effectively hydrates sensitive and acne-prone skin without clogging pores. Most find it soothing and compatible with makeup. A minority of users with highly reactive skin report stinging sensations or dislike the chemical scent associated with the SPF variant.
Highlights
Lightweight & non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like nothing”
- “absorbs instantly”
- “no oily residue”
- “super light texture”
Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no irritation”
- “calms redness”
- “doesn't burn”
Hydrating & softening Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft”
- “eliminates dry patches”
- “keeps face moisturized”
- “smooths texture”
Good under makeup Sometimes Noted
- “perfect base”
- “no pilling”
- “makeup sits well”
- “doesn't slide off”
Non-comedogenic Sometimes Noted
- “won't clog pores”
- “no new breakouts”
- “acne-safe”
- “clear skin maintained”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “chemical smell”
- “strong sunscreen odor”
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird fragrance”
Formula change Rarely Noted
- “preferred old formula”
- “new version is worse”
- “consistency changed”
- “not as effective”
Greasy finish Rarely Noted
- “left a shine”
- “too dewy”
- “made me oily”
- “slick residue”
Insufficient moisture Rarely Noted
- “not hydrating enough”
- “need to reapply”
- “too thin for winter”
- “skin felt tight”
Stinging sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face”
- “stings upon application”
- “caused redness”
- “irritated my eyes”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, hometesterclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer work for sensitive skin?
Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer is an average fit for sensitive skin, providing supportive hydration and barrier repair with glycerin and niacinamide while posing no risk of irritation. A moisturizer for this skin needs highly effective soothing ingredients like fermented Centella Asiatica, cica ceramide, and nourishing oils to target redness and irritation and enhance skin barrier function.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin and niacinamide make this moisturizer a good fit for sensitive skin by providing supportive hydration and helping repair the skin barrier without causing irritation. To be a better fit for this skin type, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like fermented Centella Asiatica, cica ceramide, and nourishing oils that specifically target redness.
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
What does Niacinamide do for sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps calm sensitive skin by strengthening the skin barrier and reducing redness and irritation. It is very well tolerated and may improve overall comfort and resilience with regular use.
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This moisturizer goes at the end of your evening routine and after your treatment step. To work best for sensitive skin, this type of product needs soothing hydration and barrier-repairing ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying your retinol first and following it with the moisturizer to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer with retinol may make your skin more comfortable and is unlikely to cause irritation.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer daily in your morning and evening routines, as its gentle ingredients are very safe for sensitive skin. Applying it regularly helps keep your skin comfortable and hydrated, though you may find other products fit your specific needs even better.
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for sensitive skin because it has a very safe formula with no harsh or prohibited ingredients. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide to keep sensitive skin calm, soft, and hydrated.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around your eyes and on your body, as its safe formula is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin. Because sensitive skin around the eyes and body often needs extra moisture and targeted soothing ingredients to stay calm and smooth, a product for this skin needs nourishing hydrators and barrier-repairing agents like glycerin and niacinamide.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007
Why other moisturizers fit sensitive skin better
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Soaps containing betaine caused the least skin irritation compared to other tested soaps in twenty-eight healthy subjects, though irritation did not decrease with increasing concentrations of betaine.
Skin Research and Technology, 2003
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.